Review: Waring Pro Bar Blender

Bar Blender Blasts Out Drinks With 500-Watt Electric Assist

You know that old expression “Don’t try this at home; we’re professionals”? The Waring Professional Bar Blender you can just smile and ignore those haters. From a frozen margarita with crushed ice to a fruit or veggie smoothie, the 500-watt-motor mixer with its removable razor-tooth blades can duplicate practically any drink, cold or hot, made in restaurants and bars. The retro, deco-style, black and chrome blender (three other colors are also available) mixes and crushes at either a high or low speed with the clattering noise you expect from such a heavy-duty motor.

We played faux bartender to put the Waring Pro through its paces and found just how strong the blender really is. Like you better have good timing with crushing ice, for example, if you actually want crushed ice. Leave the motor for a few seconds too long and the cubes are pulverized into a fine powder. Just a few seconds less and we had perfect slush for our frozen margarita. Solid foods such as smoothie-ready berries and bananas blended in seconds to liquid. In fact, most blending and crushing tasks worked with better results on the power-loaded low speed.

Cleanup on some blenders can be a hassle and Waring must have heeded consumer complaints because all parts were easily removed and reassembled, including the blades. But unlike food processors, the carafe does not lock into the base and can be a bit wobbly. So we learned in our first messy audition that we had to hold the carafe firmly in place when operating.